Shadow's Heroic Deed
by Blue Phoenix 12
Summary: This story is my version of the last scene of Episode 38 of Sonic X, when Sonic and Shadow save the world from being destroyed by the space colony ARK. It was the second fanfiction I ever wrote. I hope you like it!


Sonic and Shadow were giving it their all. They drove as much of their acquired energy as they could against the great ship ARK, which was hurtling at an incredible speed towards the Earth. They focused every last bit of their strength on the enormous machine... but it wasn't enough. ARK refused to shift an inch from its collision course, and apparently not even the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds could stop it from destroying the planet and killing all its inhabitants.

And then, from beyond the heat of the battle and his friend's constant shouts of support, a voice sounded in Shadow's mind.

"Shadow..." said the soft female voice. It was Maria, Shadow's most beloved friend, who had tragically passed away half a century ago.

"Shadow, I know you can do it. You were meant to help humanity. You were destined to save the world. Please, help the people. You can do it, Shadow!"

"Maria..." Shadow thought to himself, letting his friend's voice fill his mind and his heart. He suddenly found himself being filled with a new strength, seemingly greater even than Chaos Control itself. This battle was not over; there was still some fight left in him. He would not let his friend down.

The heat of the fight came rushing back to him in a powerful electric surge. Summoning the last of his strength and energy, Shadow suddenly let out a great cry, and emitted a powerful beam of light, which was followed by an almost equally strong beam from Sonic. The two beams of energy combined, there was a huge blinding flash... and the great colony ARK stopped dead in its tracks.

It didn't take long for the realization of the heroes' victory to hit the people following the incredible events. Within seconds, everyone back on Earth was rejoicing, and the friends still inside the ship in space gave a great cheer. The only ones not celebrating the great victory were the two hedgehogs who had just won the battle and saved the world.

It was done. Shadow suddenly found himself feeling weak and faint. His gold Chaos Control complexion was changing slowly back to its natural black, and he was falling, down, down towards the world his dear friend had so wanted to visit...

"Shadow..." came Maria's voice again. "You did it..."

"Yes, Maria", Shadow thought back to her as he continued to fall. "I did it... for you."

And suddenly he stopped. Something was holding him up, keeping him suspended over the great blue planet. It was Sonic, still in his transformed state, grasping Shadow by the wrist and refusing to let him fall.

Shadow gazed up at his friend feebly, barely able to look him in his temporarily amber eyes. For a moment the two hedgehogs merely stared at each other, neither of them saying a word. Then, drawing strength from Maria's encouraging words and sweet voice, Shadow smiled weakly up at Sonic. Nothing really needed to be said.

Sonic kept a firm grip on Shadow's arm, but his fingers were closed mostly around the ring on his friend's wrist. Shadow's hand began to slide slowly through the ring and out of Sonic's hand, until finally he slipped completely out of the hedgehog's grasp, and fell towards the Earth below.

Sonic struggled with the strange emotions writhing within him. Instinct was telling him to chase after Shadow; it would have taken mere seconds to snatch him up and take him back to the ship to be looked after. But something else spoke up inside him too; intuition was telling him that there was no need to save Shadow. The brave black hedgehog had willingly sacrificed himself to save the world, and his job was now done. He was content, and all he wanted was to be left in peace.

And so, Sonic made his way back to the ship where his friends were waiting. As he landed on the ship's hull and his complexion changed back from gold to blue, the hedgehog opened his right fist and looked down at the golden ring still in his hand. He then turned towards the great planet Earth looming in the distance, and as he thought of his friend's heroic deed, he smiled.

"Good-bye, Shadow the Hedgehog", he said quietly, and, closing his fingers around the ring once more, he stepped through the door before him into the ship.


End file.
